Machine for use in the production of cast iron articles



Aug. 14, 1956 J. A. RICHARDS 2,758,346

MACHINE FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF CAST IRON ARTICLES Filed July 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ma 6121221 .ZQCMDcZa Aug. 14,4956 J. A. RICHARDS 2,758,346

.MACHINE FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF CAST IRON ARTICLES Filed July 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14, 1956 J. A. RICHARDS 2,758,346

MACHINE FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF CAST IRON ARTICLES Filed July 9, 1951 '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 14, 9 J. A. RICHARDS MACHINE FOR uss IN THE PRODUCTION OF CAST IRON ARTICLES Filed July 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MAC FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF CAST IRON ARTICLES James Aubrey Richards, Glasgow, Scotland, assignor to Walter Macfarlane & Company Limited, Glasgow North, Scotland Application July 9, 1951, Serial No. 235,850 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 26, 1950 2 Claims. (Cl. 22-67) This invention comprises a new or improved machine for use in the production of cast iron articles and relates particularly to machines for the production of such articles by the method which consists in introducing to a female die molten cast iron, thereafter, by means of a male die, displacing the metal while in a molten state to the shape defined by the dies when closed, and finally removing the male die after solidification is complete.

In the production of cast iron articles by this method it is essential that the time interval between the introduction of the molten metal to the female die and the displacing of the metal by the male die should be as short as possible. But on the other hand the movement of the male die when displacing the molten metal must be relatively slow so as to ensure that there is no splashing of the molten metal and that the molten metal will have time to flow and completely fill the space defined by the dies when closed.

The present invention has therefore for its object to provide a new or improved machine for use in the production of cast iron articles by the process above set forth and which will meet the requirements specified above.

According to the present invention a machine for use in the production of cast iron articles by the method above set forth is provided with power operated means to bring the male die quickly from the open position to a point where it is about to contact with the molten metal in the female die in combination with a power driven cam or equivalent device arranged to retard and determine the final closing motion of the male die, thus eliminating splashing of the molten metal and enabling the molten metal to flow so that it completely fills the space defined by the male and female dies when in the closed position.

The invention further consists in a machine as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the cam or equivalent device is such that the full pressure transmitted to the male die is permitted to act on the metal contained between the dies when the latter are fully closed.

The invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings which show a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved machine,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine looking to the left and Figures 4, 5 and 6 show respectively sectional elevations of the dies in the open position, in the position where the male die is about to enter the molten metal and in the fully closed position, the cam being also shown in the three corresponding positions.

In the machine illustrated the female die 10 is rigidly supported by stools 11 which in turn rest on a bed 12.

The male die 13 is carried by a pair of radius arms 14 free to rotate on a shaft 15 extending parallel with the die and supported by fixed bearings 16 which are mounted on the base 12.

At each end of the machine are two electric motors 17 each of which drives through reducing gear 18, a pinion ir 5 States Patent ice I wheel 19 which meshes with a larger spur wheel 20, the two spur wheels being fast on shafts 21 journalled in bearings '22 in axial alignment with the shaft 15 carrying the radius arms.

Fast on each of the two shafts 21 carrying the spur wheels is a driving arm 23 which carries the male die 13.

Extending longitudinally of the machine is a cam shaft 24 which is driven through reducing gear 25 by a variable speed motor 26 and fast on this shaft are two earns 27, 27.

Each end of the made die carries a roller 28 arranged as hereafter explained, to register with the said cam.

The two motors 17 by which the male die is raised and lowered are brought into operation by means of a press button or other switch, means being provided to reverse automatically the motors after the dies have been closed for a predetermined interval.

One of said motors drives a limit switch 29 by which the motors are automatically cut out when the made die is returned to its initial position. Preferably this limit switch also serves to momentarily interrupt the supply to the motors 17 and to apply brakes thereto just prior to the rollers contacting with the earns, a timer being provided to complete the circuit again after a predetermined very short interval.

The press button or other switch also sets in operation the motor 26 which drives the cam shaft 24, this motor also driving a limit switch 30 which cuts out thi motor when the cams reach their initial position. Said predetermined interval is unrelated to the initial movement of the male die.

Assume the male die is swung clear of the female die as shown in Figure 4 and that the molten metal is introduced to the latter. Immediately this is done the press button or other switch is operated so that through the pinion and spur gearing 19 and 20 the male die 13 is quickly moved to a position where it is just about to contact with the molten metal, see Figure 5. At that point the limit switch interrupts the motor circuit to bring the motors to a stop and apply the brakes and immediately thereafter the timer operates to close the motor circuit whereon the said motors are again switched on, the brakes being automatically released.

The rollers carried by the male die then make contact with the cams 27 which are being slowly rotated by the motor 26 and reducing gear. The contour of the cams is such that they permit the male die to gradually enter and displace the molten metal which is caused to flow to fill the space defined by the male and female dies when closed. This is shown in Figure 6.

The cams are such that the full pressure transmitted to the male die is permitted to act on the metal between the dies when the latter are fully closed, that is the cams then move clear of the rollers, see Figure 6.

After the dies have been closed for a predetermined interval, that .is after solidification is complete, the motors controlling the male die are reversed automatically, the limit switch 29 driven by one of the motor cutting out automatically said motors when the male die again reaches its initial position.

Likewise the other limit switch 30 driven by the motor 26 driving the cam shaft 24 cuts out said motor when the cams reach their initial position.

By varying the speed of the motor 26 driving the cam shaft the rate of the final closing motion of the male die can be varied as desired.

It will therefore be appreciated that the male die is very quickly brought from the open position to the position where it is about to enter the molten metal whereon its rate of movement is controlled by the cams thus ensuring that there is no splashing of the molten metal and that the metal will flow to completely fill the space defined by the two dies when closed.

I claim:

1. A machine for use in the production of cast iron articles comprising a female die into which molten cast iron can be introduced, means for supporting said die with its open face uppermost, a male die, means for carrying the male die, power operated means whereby the male die can be moved quickly from an open position to a point where it is about to contact with the molten metal introduced into the female die, at least one cam with which co-operates the male die carrying means when the male die is about to enter said molten metal and means to rotate the cam, the contour of the cam being such that it retards and determines the rate of the final closing motion of the male die and thereafter moves clear of the male die carrying means to permit the full force transmitted to the male die to act on the metal between the dies when the latter are closed and to permit the dies to remain closed for a predetermined interval unrelated to the initial movement of the male die.

2. A machine for use in the production of cast iron articles comprising a female die into which molten cast iron can be introduced, means for supporting said die with 4 its open faceuppermost, a male die, radius arms carrying the male die, power operated means to rotate such arms so that the male die can be moved quickly from an open position to a point where it is about to contact with the molten metal introduced into the female die, and at least one cam with which one of the radius arms co-operates when the male die is about to enter said molten metal and means to rotate the earn, the contour of the cam being such that it retards and determines the rate of the final closing motion of the male die and thereafter moves clear of the male die carrying means to permit the full force transmitted to the male die to act on the metal between the dies when the latter are closed and to permit the dies to remain closed for a predetermined interval unrelated to the initial movement of the male die.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 708,811 Hollingsworth Sept. 9, 1902 1,222,786 Morris Apr. 17, 1917 1,815,360 Morris et a1. July 21, 1931 

1. A MACHINE FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF CAST IRON ARTICLES COMPRISING A FEMALE DIE INTO WHICH MOLTEN CAST IRON CAN BE INTRODUCED, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID DIE WITH ITS OPEN FACE UPPERMOST, A MALE DIE, MEANS FOR CARRYING THE MALE DIE, POWER OPERATED MEANS WHEREBY THE MALE DIE CAN BE MOVED QUICKLY FROM AN OPEN POSITION TO A POINT WHERE IT IS ABOUT TO CONTACT WITH THE MOLTEN METAL INTRODUCED INTO THE FEMALE DIE, AT LEAST ONE CAM WITH WHICH CO-OPERATES THE MALE DIE CARRYING MEANS WHEN THE MALE DIE IS ABOUT TO ENTER SAID MOLTEN METAL AND MEANS TO ROTATE THE CAM, THE CONTOUR OF THE CAM BEING SUCH THAT IT RETARDS AND DETERMINES THE RATE OF THE FINAL CLOSING MOTION OF THE MALE DIE AND THEREAFTER MOVES CLEAR OF THE MALE DIE CARRYING MEANS TO PERMIT THE FULL FORCE TRANSMITTED TO THE MALE DIE TO ACT ON THE METAL BETWEEN THE DIES WHEN THE LATTER ARE CLOSED AND TO PERMIT THE DIES TO REMAIN CLOSED FOR A PREDETERMINED INTERVAL UNRELATED TO THE INITIAL MOVEMENT OF THE DIE. 